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In today’s society, this essential household item is used in negative connotations. If a sports team finds itself in last place with the worst record in the league, it is referred to as a doormat. Are you unwilling to stand up for yourself? If so, chances are you are called a doormat since you allow others to walk all over you.

Alan and Jill Mecca have a different opinion of the doormat. They believe in the old adage that you only have one chance to make a first impression. When guests visit your home, what do they notice before they ring your doorbell? It’s the doormat. Recognizing that every home – and even every commercial building – needs a doormat, the Meccas purchased The Company in 2008. Simply put, these husband-and-wife entrepreneurs revere the doormat.

“When you think about it, a doormat says a lot about your personality,” Jill Mecca said. “And it’s your first line of defense in keeping your home cleaner.”

The Personalized Doormats Company (www.personalizeddoormats.com) is an online company that offers a wide variety of customized doormats for homes and businesses. There are mats with basic designs that you can include your family’s last name (such as The Smith’s). The company features aluminum doormats, wooden doormats, rubber mats, digital photo doormats and even “Grand Entrance” doormats, which are larger than standard mats and are suitable for lavish homes with wide and elegant front doors.

The pet mats are popular, Alan Mecca says. They are used to place water and food dishes on and minimize messes on the floor. The Meccas donate $2 to Paw Partners, a Central Florida animal rescue organization, for each pet mat that is sold. Some customers place a beloved pet’s image on a digital photo doormat, which can also feature images of vacations and class photos among other photographs.

The Personalized Doormats Company does sell non-personalized mats with standard designs, but most of their customers prefer creating a doormat that is just their style, Jill Mecca says. Thus the reason it is no surprise that the company’s Write Your Own Mat series is generated substantial business. The selection of designs for this series is plentiful and includes dog breeds, college sports, animals, camo mats (for hunting and outdoors enthusiasts), leisure, sports, military, baby/child, religion and wedding categories. The industry doormats for commercial purposes are also popular.

“When we bought the business, we created the Write Your Own Mat series to differentiate ourselves from our competitors,” Alan Mecca explained. “These mats really allow you to express yourself and your interests.”

For Alan Mecca, the company itself has given him an outlet to pursue a longtime dream. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University and worked as a computer programmer, most recently for Symantec in Lake Mary. He started exploring other career options when the economy slowed down.

“I sensed that I could eventually lose my job due to layoffs, and I had always wanted to work for myself, so Jill and I started looking into business that were for sale,” Mecca said. “We wanted an interesting niche, and we saw the potential in the Personalized Doormats Company. After all, everyone needs a doormat.

“We preferred a business that was already in existence because we thought it would be too risky to start from scratch considering that we have three children and we could not take a drastic hit to our income,” Mecca added.

The Meccas have complementay skills. Alan has a technology background while Jill, a University of Florida graduate who earned an advertising degree, is proficient in marketing and sales. The couple has three children – Daniel, 11; Katie, 9; and Elise, 5 – and they are home-schooled.

“I didn’t quit my job right away. I was able to work from home (for Symantec), so for six months I continued working full time at Symantec and helped operate Personalized Doormats in my spare time,” Alan Mecca said. “At some point, to make the business thrive, you have to take the plunge and put all your effort into it the company. In March 2008, I left Symantec to devote all my attention to Personalized Doormats.”

The decision was risky but worthwhile. The Meccas saw their company’s monthly sales double in the first six months. After buying the company, they expanded the lines of doormats with more styles, redesigned the web site and added vendors. Creating the Write Your Own Doormat series and adding commercial mats contributed to the growth. The commercial presence includes military bases worldwide, churches, schools and businesses. Michelin, Fox (for the “24″ premiere party), Oberto Beef Jerky and even Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have been among their customers.

The Meccas are expanding their commercial presence and adding more manufacturers. They are also growing the Write Your Own Mat series to include other languages.

“Some people might think that doormats are not very exciting, but we think that they can serve as a conversation piece while keeping your house clean at the same time,” Jill Mecca said. “By offering customers the chance to personalize their doormats, these mats become a more interesting part of your home.”